When shopping for natural stone, countertops, slabs or flooring — whether it is for your kitchen, bath, interior space or exterior landscape — there are facts that a homeowner should know.
At times just picking a material that pleases a client can be a monumental task unto itself. In fact, it can take weeks of shopping from different suppliers, quarries and endless trips to the “big stores.” Half the time most homeowners end up settling for a material because of frustration and desperation just to get the job started.
One thing most homeowners don’t even consider during this process is the proper material for the job. Limestone, granite, quartzite, slate, marble, ceramic, the list is endless, not to mention there are different grades of each. When you go to these large stores to purchase an 18-by-18-inch Travertine, for example, and you see it for a remarkable price compared to the local outlets, most the time you’re looking at a secondor third-rate stone filled with color epoxy to match the stone as best the supplier can. These types of stone are more fragile, permeable and to an expert’s eye, second-rate. To an untrained eye, however, it looks fabulous, so knowledge is key.
In addition to picking an aesthetically pleasing material, most homeowners don’t know what other components are best for different projects.
The density of stone, permeability, grade and quality can be easily overlooked or not even considered. With the proper guidance, the right material can be chosen for each job.
Sometimes when a homeowner shops at outlets, as in any sales or retail business, there are things that the company must move. Sometimes the salesperson has no knowledge of the site and project, and may just want to get material off the lot. Now this doesn’t always happen, but I think every contractor has seen it, dealt with it and recommended another solution like an additional buy or just installing it to stay clear of offending the purchasing party.
There are other issues regarding proper installation for each material that have not been addressed yet, like different setting materials and grades of grouts, glues, epoxies and sealants. That is a story unto itself.
Save yourself some time, headaches and issues five years from now and call the team at Hawaii Kai Custom Stone and Tile. With more than 25 years of experience with slab installs, custom fabrication and unique inlays, as well as some of the most flat floor installs and local knowledge of different suppliers on the island, you will start your project off in the right direction. Proper knowledge, experience, old world craftsman-ship and pride are what guide us here. Do it once, do it right and walk away with pride. It’s worked for more than 25 years and we don’t plan on changing a thing.
When purchasing through Hawaii Kai Stone, an automatic contractor’s discount applies for any stone, tile or wholesaler. Call us today and get the answers you need to start off with the proper knowledge for your lifetime investment.
CONTACT: 478-TILE(8453) • hawaiikaicustomstone @yahoo.com
See more articles from: Hawaii Kai Custom Stone Inc